2024 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2024): AM of Composites and Other Materials I
Program Organizers: Joseph Beaman, University of Texas at Austin
Tuesday 8:00 AM
August 13, 2024
Room: Salon A
Location: Hilton Austin
Session Chair: Raihan Quader, North Dakota State University
8:00 AM
Additive Manufacturing of Carbon Nanotubes Infused Multi-materials and their Mechanical Characterization: Vivekanand Naikwadi1; Ismail Fidan1; Mohammad Alshaikh Ali1; Mushfig Mahmudov1; Shamil Gudavasov1; 1Tennessee Tech University
The use of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) is observed as a notable surge in the widespread adoption nowadays due to their remarkable and distinctive properties. Nanoparticle enhancing the physical properties of the polymer materials for advanced applications, such as microelectronic, chemical sensors, electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI), and aerospace. This study has examined various mechanical properties, encompassing tensile strength, compression behavior, in PLA, PETG, and ABS polymers incorporated with MWCNT. Preliminary results indicate improvement of 10 % in tensile strength with CNT infused samples compare to normal polymers. SEM also performed to examine distribution and dispersion of different components within the polymer matrix, aiding in the optimization of material formulations. This manuscript will facilitate upcoming researchers to choose the most appropriate functionalization method of CNTs, composite synthesis, essential characterization techniques for evaluating the performance as per required applications.
8:20 AM
Comparative Analysis of Mechanical and Electrical Properties of 3D Printing Carbon
Nanotube-Reinforced Materials: Shamil Gudavasov1; Ismail Fidan1; Mohammad Alshaikh Ali1; Mushfig Mahmudov1; Vivekanand Naikwadi1; 1Tennesse Tech University
Functionally graded nanocomposite materials manufactured by Material Extrusion (MEX) process have a significant potential for the industrial applications that involve the dissipation of electrostatic discharge. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the thermoplastic materials can be increased by the addition of nanofillers, like carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This study aims to compare the mechanical and electrical properties of 3D printed specimens using three different polymers: CNT-reinforced Polylactic Acid (PLA), CNT-reinforced Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), and CNT-reinforced Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG). Tensile specimens are fabricated under varying parameters, including nozzle temperature, nozzle size, printing orientation, and layer thickness. Tensile testing is conducted to investigate the mechanical properties and the electrical properties using the surface resistivity measurement. By understanding the relationship between CNT reinforcement and material properties, this research could pave the way for the development of advanced materials with customized mechanical and electrical characteristics, suitable for a wide range of industrial applications.
8:40 AM
Carbon Fiber Composite Plate Lattice Structures With Unbound Infill: Denis Cormier1; Nidhi Munaganuru1; 1Rochester Institute of Technology
Beam and plate lattice structures have been widely used to reduce the mass of additively manufactured structures. Likewise, carbon fiber composite materials are of considerable interest for specific strength and stiffness properties. This presentation focuses on the relatively new Composite Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) process which is categorized as a sheet lamination AM method. The study specifically uses a carbon fiber (CF) composite reinforcing phase with a PEEK polymer matrix to produce body centered cubic plate lattices. These lattices normally have void space between the solid plates. With CBAM, however, the void space is occupied by carbon fiber without any PEEK matrix material. Most of the composite material's mass comes from the PEEK matrix rather than carbon fiber, hence the structure's mass is still reduced by 40-45% versus completely solid composite material. Compression and flexural properties of plate lattice structures relative to solid carbon-PEEK composite material will be reported.
9:00 AM
Design and Fabrication of Multi-material Plate Lattice Structures Using Fused Filament Fabrication Technique: Jesus Diaz1; Huzaifa Hussain1; Roshira Premadasa1; Qianyun (Gloria) Zhang1; Chaitanya Mahajan1; 1New Mexico State University
Plate lattice structures are highly desirable in various industries due to their lightweight and high-strength characteristics. The design of plate lattice structures for additive manufacturing requires careful consideration of the material properties and desired geometric configurations for the intended application. This study introduces multi-material plate lattice structures with at least one material composed of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. A fused filament fabrication technique was used to fabricate the unit cell of the plate lattice with filament material such as polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) and carbon fiber-reinforced polyethylene terephthalate. Different plate lattice compositions were obtained by mixing the elementary structures, i.e., simple cubic (SC), body-centered cubic (BCC), and face-centered cubic (FCC). The findings from this research illuminate the potential for creating components that are both lightweight and robust, suitable for high-performance applications.
9:20 AM
4D Printed Actuation with Spatially-varying Lattices: Katia Delgado Ramos1; Ana Aranzola1; Cervantes Aaron1; Alejandra Castellanos1; Mohamed El Mansori2; Ijaz Akbar2; Martinez Ana1; Alexis Maurel1; Eric MacDonald1; David Roberson1; 1University of Texas at El Paso; 2Arts et Métiers ParisTech
4D printing allows for otherwise static 3D printed structures to change form, modifying configuration or function with time in response to external stimuli such as temperature, light, electrical current, etc. A variety of geometries have been previously explored in the context of 4D printing including foldable surfaces (e.g. Origami), lattices and bio-inspired shapes; however, with advances in solid modeling software tools, more sophisticated spatially-varying lattices are now easily generated to further optimize the mechanical performance and functionality of a 4D printed structure. In this work, complex lattices are created to bend at specific locations with intentionally-reduced stiffness and improved compliance based on locally-reduced strut dimensions. By simulating and experimentally demonstrating more complex geometries in the study of 4D printing, new applications can be considered that were not possible previously with tailored performance allowing for balancing between weight and endurance.
9:40 AM Break
10:00 AM
Development and Characterization of Rigid Polyester Blends for 4D Printing: Jose Gonzalez1; Gamaliel Martinez1; Benjamin Estrada1; Katia Delgado Ramos1; Jose Salazar1; Brian Schuster1; David Roberson1; 1University of Texas at El Paso
Incorporating thermoplastic materials with shape memory properties into the fused filament fabrication process enables what is commonly referred to as 4D printing. When the blends are composed of one or more materials with inherent shape memory properties, the tailoring of critical parameters such as shape recovery temperature can be realized. Previous work by our group demonstrated the creation of shape memory polymer blends where one component was elastomeric. The following work entails the development and characterization of rigid polyester blends that are biocompatible and biodegradable in addition to having shape memory properties. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to determine the critical deformation and recovery temperatures. The effect of print raster patterns on the DMA results was also evaluated Micro-tensile testing was used to characterize the physical properties of the materials at elevated temperatures. Finally, scanning electron microanalysis was used to examine the fracture surfaces of spent tensile specimens.
10:20 AM
Characterization of 3D Printed and Wire Embedded Thermoplastic Composite Structures: Kazi Md Masum Billah1; Jeffrey Gleasman1; Bryan Quezada1; Neel Rathod1; Mario Barron Gonzalez1; Adam Kennedy1; 1University of Houston Clear Lake
This research evaluates and characterizes the thermal and physical characteristics of thermoplastic specimens embedded with conductive wire using a Fused Filament Fabrication 3D printer. The specimens were manufactured through a novel approach “Pause and Go” in additive manufacturing for embedding conductive wires into a 3D printed thermoplastic substrate using a custom-built wire embedding tool integrated into a commercially available desktop Independent Dual Extruder (IDEX) printer. Wire-embedded test specimens were produced via 3D printing using Polylactic Acid and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. The 26-gauge nichrome wire was embedded in the top substrate and continued the printing to fully embed the wires. Thermal testing was carried out and observed steady-state temperatures after 30 minutes. Fracture toughness testing was conducted using 3-point flexural tests and showed a significant improvement. The wire pull tests characterized the bonding strength of the wire and substrate.
10:40 AM
Additive Manufacturing of Conformal Carbon Fiber Composite Skins On Non-planar Surfaces: Nidhi Munaganuru1; David Trauernicht1; Denis Cormier1; 1Rochester Institute of Technology
The past decade has seen rapid growth in additive manufacturing (AM) using carbon fiber reinforced composite materials. Many researchers have studied alignment of chopped fibers in tracks printed via fused filament fabrication. However, several companies have introduced continuous fiber reinforced composite AM processes. Most of these systems constrain fiber placement to the X-Y build plane though. For non-planar fiber placement, algorithms to generate fiber routing toolpaths are still very much in their infancy. This paper will present recent work aimed at depositing conformal continuous fiber skins on non-planar surfaces in a way that evenly spaces fibers in regions where changes in surface curvature would normally result in bunching or spreading of fibers. Preliminary results using a multi-nozzle 5-axis FFF system will be presented. Results will include strategies to deposit conformal unidirectional layers with staggered orientations as well as 3D woven fiber surface layers.
11:00 AM
Co-bonded Continuous Carbon Fiber Thermoset Composite Coatings for Durable Additively Manufactured Thermoset-thermoplastic Composite Tooling: John Pappas1; Xiangyang Dong1; 1Arizona State University
Additive manufacturing (AM) of composite tooling has substantial advantages over traditional tooling techniques for out-of-autoclave processes due to large reductions in tooling cost and fabrication time. Thus, 3D printed tooling has potential for diverse commercial uses in industries including aerospace, automotive, and defense. However, low durability of 3D printed thermoplastic (TP) tooling from inexpensive materials limits performance, while the high surface roughness of as-printed tooling necessitates extensive machining. Therefore, we propose a laser co-bonding AM method to bond durable continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoset (TS) coatings on 3D printed TP tooling. By combining resin infusion and consolidation during laser co-bonding, excellent surface finishes were produced thereby reducing or eliminating the need for machining, while simultaneously reducing voids at the interphase region. Lap shear testing revealed excellent bond strength between the TP-TS materials. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry of the TS composites combined with numerical simulations guided process parameter selection.
11:20 AM
Improving the Mechanical Properties of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D Printed Polypropylene/ Carbon Fiber Parts: Suleiman Obeidat1; Syed Faruqui1; Iftekhar Basith1; 1Sam Houston State University
This study aims to investigate the mechanical properties of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printed Polypropylene/Carbon Fiber, both prior to and after the inclusion of Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC). We will examine the ultimate tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, flexural strength, and interlaminar strength in specimens containing various concentrations of CNCs. Two categories of filaments will be generated: pristine filaments (lacking CNC) and filaments containing CNC at different proportions. The Polypropylene/Carbon Fiber pellets, as well as those blended with CNC, will be extruded using an EX2 Filabot extruder. Subsequently, these filaments will be employed to produce tensile, bending, and short beam samples via 3D printing, to evaluate the influence of CNC on the mechanical properties and to determine the optimal CNC concentration for enhanced mechanical performance. The Method X 3D printer will be utilized for printing the samples, while the ADMET Testing Machine will be employed to assess their mechanical properties.
11:40 AM
Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Molds for Thermoset Composites: Kazi Md Masum Billah1; Bryan Quezada1; Jeffrey Gleasman1; 1University of Houston Clear Lake
In the composite manufacturing industry, production tooling commonly requires preheating for molding. The most commonly used method for preheating is indirect heating, in which heat is transferred from heat sources to the materials by convection and radiation. However, in the case of direct heating, in which heat is generated directly within a material by passing an electric current through it, the tools are preheated through joule heating. In this project, we manufactured a self-heating mold for direct heating. The manufacturing process involves 3D printing self-heating tooling, in which resistive wires are embedded into the tool at every so number of layers using a programmed 3D printer. Thermal characterizations were performed on the self-heating tool and a thermoset composite layup process was performed to study the suitability of the mold.